


Of Rainfall and Fluffy Bathrobes

by orphan_account



Category: Political RPF - US 21st c., Republicans - Fandom
Genre: Crubio, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, gay republicans, ruz, sorry mom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-04
Updated: 2016-05-04
Packaged: 2018-06-06 09:09:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6747802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marco Rubio is despondent post-Florida. But there is one man who cares enough to help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Rainfall and Fluffy Bathrobes

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I know Cruz is out too, but I had to finish this.  
> Not reflective of my political beliefs. Bernie forever.  
> THIS FIC WAS MENTIONED IN THE NEW YORKER http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-political-erotica-of-2016

Marco Rubio walked in circles in the New York rain. Central park was not a familiar place to him, but it had been an escape- and escape from a two-bed hotel room that was only his and the paralyzing knowledge that it was not getting better. He’d failed, in Florida and in his marriage and as a father… he was the utmost failure. So as the rain soaked through the cheap fabric of his worst suit, he cried and cried and didn't’ care who saw. It was nearing dusk, and no joggers were out. He’d given all his pocket money (a measly 50) to a homeless man who had promptly thanked him. Hah, as if he was worth thanks. He wasn’t worth that. He wasn’t worth that. He wasn’t worth anything. He wasn’t-  
“Senator Rubio? Is that you?”  
He turned around, but it was pointless as he felt his existence was. He knew who the voice belonged to- Ted Cruz, his former rival. Rubio wiped the tears from his visage and faced the Texan.  
“Ted. Good to see you.”  
“Here, walk with me,” the older man offered. “We’re going back to my hotel, because you look freezing. And you need my umbrella.”  
Marco took the umbrella regretfully, feeling that he did not deserve it. He held it over his head and Cruz matched his stride as they walked, never passing or falling behind.  
The sky darkened as they walked on. Shuddering, Rubio followed aimlessly. Finally they reached the hotel. They entered easily, ascending in the elevator to Cruz’s floor, and walking to his door. They entered- Rubio covertly, Cruz normally.  
Nobody was inside. Rubio found this odd, but didn’t want to intrude by asking.  
Cruz spoke up. “Heidi and I are- seperating.” he informed the younger senator. “She found out about some past affairs and- well, I don’t blame her. So I’m alone now- she took the kids back home.”  
“Yeah, Jeanette and I are divorcing too. That’s why I was out there in the rain. The hotel room seemed so desolate. We- were separating because- because I’m-” Tears started streaming down his face again. Cruz looked sympathetic.  
“It’s okay. You don’t have to say it if you don’t want to. Here, have a seat.”  
Rubio obeyed, plopping down on the bed.  
“Take off your clothes.”  
He did not move, but stared at the older politician with confusion. Cruz sighed.  
“Not like that. You’re dead soaked. Dump everything in a pile there and take this.” He handed Rubio a fluffy white bathrobe. Rubio looked at him expectantly, and Cruz regretfully turned around. Rubio peeled off his clothes and wrapped himself in the bathrobe. It really was quite nice.  
“Okay, you can turn around.” he said, sitting on the bed. Ted did so.  
“Okay, Um- are you tired?” He wasn’t very good at this. Heidi was so self-sufficient. He’d seen her cry once, and they’d been married fifteen years. But Marco- he couldn’t deal with this- his quiet tears and his downcast eyes and the despondency that settled on him like a blanket. He approached the younger man, who stood up. Marco was normally taller than Ted, but as he was barefoot and Cruz in slightly platformed dress shoes Cruz inched higher than him. Cruz sat down on the bed, and Marco followed.  
“Ah, yeah, I guess. I can sleep on your couch, it’s-”  
“No way. You get the bed. A night on the couch doesn’t hurt me.” He pulled back the covers and Marco snuggled in. Ted lay down on the couch, listening to the other man’s breathing, irregular from crying, smooth out as he fell asleep.

In the morning Ted awoke first. He stood up and regarded Marco. His dark hair was plastered against his tan skin, and his eyes were closed, displaying thick dark lashes. Gone to get breakfast, Cruz scrawled on a napkin by the bed, and left the room.  
As he stalked down the hall, his mind came back to the Floridian senator. He’d always had a bit of a soft spot for the younger man, but it now occurred to him that it might be more. Not love, though it could be, given time- but not just attraction. Caroline and Catherine (of whom he thought with a pang of guilt) would have called it like-like. A crush. Yeah, that was the word for it. He had a crush on Marco. He smiled giddily as he reached the breakfast room.  
He started two plates of waffles and went about making coffee- cream and no sugar for him, black but with a creamer and a sugar packet for Marco, as he didn’t know how he took it. Hopefully he drank coffee. Putting the npw-ready waffles on plates and snatching two maple syrup cups, butter, and forks, he made his way up and into the room with his hands full.  
He hated to wake Marco- he looked so peaceful in sleep. But the man needed breakfast, and Cruz prodded him awake.  
Marco sat up, bleary-eyed, and they consumed their waffles and coffee in silence. When Marco appeared finished and tried to get up to go, Ted put a hand on his arm.  
“Marco, wait. You know how you said last night that you were- you know?” Marco nodded.  
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable; I’ll go now-”  
“No. The affair Heidi found out about? I didn’t say this at first- I couldn’t- but it was with a man.”  
Marco turned to Ted, eyes wide. “Really? So you’re- you’re- like me?”  
Ted nodded. “Yeah, I’m like you. I also like you. I want to be with you, Marco.”  
“You do? Like-” he barely could get out the word, and he whimpered it when it came- “In a gay way?”  
Cruz nodded. “Yeah. Would you- I mean, you don’t have to, but-”  
“Oh, Ted. This is all I’ve ever wanted!” he said, flinging his arms around the crouching man and kissing him, and it tasted like maple syrup and Marco’s tears and the highly saturated emotions of two gay Republicans who had finally learned to love.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked it, please leave kudos, and comment if you have time.


End file.
